


Ruinous

by orphan_account



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Timelines, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood and Gore, Blood and Injury, Determination (Undertale), Fighting, Gen, Monster Dust (Undertale), Multiple Universes Colliding, Soul Bond, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-01
Updated: 2019-08-01
Packaged: 2020-07-28 23:40:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20072533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Things are finally starting to come together for monsterkind. Six years after the barrier has broken, and they still remain aboveground, living their lives and settling down. Humans tolerate them more than they used to, people demand rights for monsters to be written into law, their magic and abilities have drawn in many curious humans into learning more about their kind. The Underground has been made into a living museum. The late prince and royal scientist have been brought back. Yes, it would seem that things are finally looking up.And then Frisk falls into a portal leading to another world, and their already complicated life gets all the more dangerous.





	Ruinous

“…Come on! It’s this way!”

“Alright, alright! Slow _down_, Frisk, jeez.”

“Hey, c’mon, ’dyne, don’t rain on the kid’s parade. They’re just excited.”

“Papyrus?”

“Yes?”

“Slap your brother for me.”

“Wh—no! There will be no slapping! Only laughs and japes!”

Laughs flutter throughout the crowd as they walk, tossing jokes back and forth as they make the climb up Mt. Ebott, following the line of traffic heading to the entrance. Since monsters were freed years ago, tourists have come worldwide to visit the mountain and marvel at the remnants of monsterkind’s civilization, despite the debates around destroying the Underground and plundering it of its valuables. Such a group is where Frisk and their family are now, making an annual trip into the mountain’s depths to check in on the abandoned home’s condition. Not that any of the other tourists care; snapping pictures and bragging about how they’re one of few humans who will have stood in the same place a monster has.

It annoys them, how humans will only tolerate monsters for their contributions. The moment monsters aren’t interesting to investigate, they’re thrown to the side, left to rot without a second thought. Nothing but dirt under humans’ feet.

It makes them so, so _angry_. And yet, they have to reason with these inconsiderate people during meetings just so monsters will be treated with the basic levels of respect…

“Hey, Frisk, you alright?” Asriel asks them, breaking their train of thought. “You’re squeezing my hand awfully tight.”

“Probably nerves,” they hear Gaster mutter behind them. Ah, yes, they’d almost forgotten he was there—but then again, it’s easy to forget about someone who was all but wiped out of time and space, pieced back together through countless resets and loads. Really, it’s a feat that either he or Asriel are there, given all the work that went into bringing them back—but Frisk regrets none of it, happy to have them along for the journey. “Excitement can make some nervous.”

“Aw, don’t worry, kid! It’ll be fine!” Undyne flashes them one of her classic, toothy grins, patting them on the back. It’s all they can do to keep upright with how much force is behind the slap. “If anything, we can always battle the nerves outta ya! That’ll teach your body to loosen up!”

“Wouldn’t it make it m-more jittery?” Alphys asks.

“Eh! Wouldn’t hurt to find out!”

More laughter. Frisk tries to join in, but their laughter comes out rushed, forced, lacking any humor. It’s a pathetic attempt, and one that does not go unnoticed.

“Hey, are you sure you’re okay?” Asriel pulls them off to the side, the others moving on ahead, not noticing that the two had stopped. “You seem…out of it.”

Frisk blinks. They shake their head, pressing a hand to their forehead. _Don’t worry him, don’t worry him…_ “I’m fine,” they tell him, giving him a tired smile. “Just thinking about human-monster relations is all. Work stuff, you know?”

Asriel shrugs it off. “Hey, don’t worry about it, Frisk. We’re here for you, and we know that you try our best with being the ambassador. No need to stress too much about it.”

Frisk huffs. “I’m just worried that you’ll end up Underground again…”

“Well, if that does happen, at least people will remember we’re here. Which, that reminds me—” Asriel digs into his pocket, Frisk leaning forward on their toes to get a better look at what he’s doing. He pulls out a golden locket, handing it to them. “Here. It’s for saving me—well, and Gaster, because he technically helped make it, but he said not to mention that, heh. Whoops.”

Frisk takes the locket delicately, looking it over. It’s a simple design; similar to the ones Chara and Asriel once wore when they were still children, still alive. A red heart sits in the middle of the front, encircled by six other souls colored blue, green, orange, purple. When they flip it over, they notice little indentations of upside-down hearts, no doubt representing the monsters of Mt. Ebott. Upon opening it, they find the words “to my dearest friend” written inside, along with the various initials of their friends.

“It’s beautiful,” they breathe. They look up at him, furrowing their brows, “But—why now? It’s been so long…”

“Well, it’s the same reason we’re on this walk! Sixth anniversary and all that—but also just because I really care about you and want you to know that your efforts are appreciated. We wouldn’t be nearly as far along if it weren’t for you.”

“Monsters wouldn’t be free without you, either, Asriel,” Frisk reminds him.

His smile falters slightly. “…Right.”

The child glances down at their new locket, watching light reflect off its surface. They smile. “Thanks, Asriel,” Frisk murmurs, stuffing the locket in their pocket. They hum, saying, “It means a lot. Really.”

The goat boy smiles.

“Frisk, Asriel!” Toriel yells from up ahead, waving for them to come closer. “Come here, come look at this!”

The two children share a look of concern before running over, wondering just what on earth everyone is looking at.

They gasp.

A blinding, purple light glows within the hole in the earth, pulsating a brilliant violet. Magic hangs thick in the air, building thicker and thicker the longer they stand there, until the air is so thick it becomes all but suffocating to breathe. People crowd around the phenomena and point, murmuring among themselves as they try to make sense of what’s happening.

“Is this part of the tour—?”

“A prank—?”

“A build-up of magic, perhaps?”

Voices blend together in their head, whispering in their ears, Frisk drawing closer and closer to the edge.

_Follow us._

_Come along—_

_A new adventure awaits. _

_More mysteries to solve._

_More people to save._

_Come and join the fun. _

They step forward, head drowning in the voices and swell of emotions—

“Frisk, wait, don’t get too close—”

“_Ah_—”

Their foot catches on a low-hanging branch, the human’s eyes blowing wide as everything around them shifts, flipping on its head. They catch a glimpse of their friends’ faces; scared, shocked, confused. Arms reaching for them but unable to grab them in time before they fall, sinking further and further into the darkness.

Their eyes slip closed, a single tear shed as they fall, mouth slipped into a firm line as they hold their arms out wide and allow the fall to happen.

Determination pulses through their soul.

_Whatever happens,_ they tell themselves, _I will come back._

_I promise. _

**Author's Note:**

> Updates Thursdays!


End file.
